Mexico
Worked in Mexico? Any pension you built up here is yours to keep and can usually be paid to you abroad — but you have to claim it; it won't start automatically. The full state pension age is 65, with early access from 60. On totalization, Mexico has bilateral totalization agreements, so the years you worked here may combine with other countries you've worked in. Below is Mexico's system at a glance and what expats should check.
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Overview
Mexico operates a multi-pillar pension system that has undergone significant reforms in 2019, 2020, and 2024.
The system combines a universal non-contributory basic pension (Pensión para el Bienestar de las Personas Adultas Mayores) for all residents aged 65+ (women aged 60–64 receive a transitional half-benefit from 2026), a mandatory funded defined-contribution (DC) system administered by private AFORE fund managers (Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro) under the SAR (Retirement Savings System), and voluntary supplementary savings. The original IMSS pay-as-you-go defined-benefit system was replaced by individual AFORE accounts in 1997 for private-sector workers and in 2007 for public-sector workers (ISSSTE). A landmark 2020 reform progressively raised total mandatory contributions from 6.5% to a target of 15% of salary by 2030/2031, reduced the minimum qualifying weeks, and improved the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (PMG). As of 2025, employer contributions stand at 9.5% of salary, rising to 10.5% in 2026 and ultimately to 13.875% by 2030. AFORE assets reached MXN 8.3 trillion (23.8% of GDP) at end-2025, with approximately 70 million individual accounts and average investment yields of 16.8% in 2025.
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A major May 2024 reform created the Welfare Pension Fund (Fondo de Pensiones para el Bienestar – FPB), which from July 2024 provides a Solidarity Supplement (Complemento Solidario) guaranteeing that eligible pensioners aged 65+ receive 100% of their last contributory salary, capped at the average IMSS monthly wage (MXN 17,364/month in 2025, updated to MXN 17,885.85/month in 2026, adjusted annually for inflation). This supplement is funded by the federal government and does not require additional employer or employee contributions. According to OECD Pensions at a Glance 2025, net replacement rates for full-career workers entering the labour market at age 22 in 2024 equal 132% at half the average wage and 80% at the average wage. Mexico also extended mandatory AFORE coverage to digital platform workers (gig economy) from June/July 2025, following the 2022 extension to domestic workers. The universal non-contributory pension increased to MXN 6,400 bimonthly in 2026 (from MXN 6,200 in 2025), reaching approximately 13.6–14.1 million beneficiaries.
Despite these reforms, significant challenges remain: high labour market informality (approximately 60 million informal workers), low contribution density, and a fragmented system with separate regimes for PEMEX, CFE, ISSFAM, and various state/university schemes. The US-Mexico totalization agreement was signed in 2004 but remains not yet in force as of mid-2026. Mexico is a member of the Iberoamerican Social Security Agreement covering 22 countries, and has bilateral agreements with Canada, Spain, Italy, and others. The OECD has raised concerns about the long-term financing sustainability of the FPB, which relies partly on transfers from inactive AFORE accounts.
~76% at average wage (OECD Pensions at a Glance 2025, net replacement rate 80% at average wage; gross replacement rate 70%+ at average wage per OECD mandatory scheme data); 121% gross / 132% net for low earners (half average wage) for full-career workers entering at age 22 in 2024 under legislated measures including FPB supplement
Pillar 0: Universal non-contributory basic pension – Pensión para el Bienestar de las Personas Adultas Mayores (adults 65+; women 60–64 receive transitional half-benefit from 2026 via Pensión Mujeres Bienestar at MXN 3,100 bimonthly); full pension MXN 6,400 bimonthly (2026). Pillar 1: Mandatory funded DC – AFORE individual accounts (SAR) for IMSS-affiliated private-sector workers + Guaranteed Minimum Pension (PMG/Pensión Garantizada) top-up from federal government; ISSSTE equivalent for public-sector workers. Pillar 1.5 (2024 reform): Solidarity Supplement via Fondo de Pensiones para el Bienestar (FPB) – guarantees 100% replacement of last salary up to IMSS average wage cap (MXN 17,364/month in 2025; MXN 17,885.85/month in 2026) for eligible DC pensioners aged 65+. Pillar 2: Voluntary AFORE contributions (ahorro voluntario) – tax-deductible up to MXN 152,000/year or 10% of annual income.
Mixed multi-pillar system: universal non-contributory safety net + mandatory funded defined-contribution (DC) individual accounts (AFORE/SAR) + voluntary savings; fragmented across IMSS (private sector), ISSSTE (public sector), PEMEX, CFE, ISSFAM and other special regimes
Employee
1.125% of salary to RCV (retirement) sub-account; plus ~1.25% for disability/survivors insurance; total IMSS employee contribution approximately 2.375–2.78% of salary across all branches
Employer
9.5% of salary to RCV sub-account (2025), rising to 10.5% in 2026 and 13.875% by 2030; plus 5% to INFONAVIT housing fund; plus contributions for health, disability, occupational risk (total employer IMSS burden approximately 20–35% of salary depending on risk category and salary level)
Self-Employed
Voluntary enrollment in AFORE/IMSS; self-employed may register voluntarily under 'Personas Trabajadoras Independientes' scheme at Mexican consulates or IMSS offices
Notes
Total mandatory retirement contribution (employee + employer + government) rising from 6.5% (pre-2021) to 15% by 2030/2031 under the 2020 reform. Employer RCV contribution: 9.5% in 2025, 10.5% in 2026, reaching 13.875% by 2030. Employee contribution remains fixed at 1.125%. Government 'cuota social' (social quota) contribution per day of work is progressive (higher for lower-wage workers). Contribution ceiling: 25 times the monthly UMA (UMA daily value: MXN 113.14 in 2025; MXN 117.31 in 2026 effective February 1, 2026, a +3.69% increase). Annual UMA 2025: MXN 41,273.52; Annual UMA 2026: MXN 42,795 (approx.).
Common questions
What is the retirement age in Mexico?
The full state pension age in Mexico is 65. Early retirement may be possible from 60.
Can I claim a Mexico pension if I live abroad?
Yes. A pension you've earned in Mexico stays yours wherever you retire, and can usually be paid into an overseas account once you reach pension age. It won't start automatically, though — you need to claim it, typically a few months in advance, through Mexico's pension authority.
Do totalization agreements affect my Mexico pension?
Mexico has bilateral social-security (totalization) agreements. These can let you combine the years you worked in Mexico with years in partner countries to meet a minimum qualifying period, so short stints aren't wasted. Which partners and rules apply depends on your own work history.
How is the pension system structured in Mexico?
Mixed multi-pillar system: universal non-contributory safety net + mandatory funded defined-contribution (DC) individual accounts (AFORE/SAR) + voluntary savings; fragmented across IMSS (private sector), ISSSTE (public sector), PEMEX, CFE, ISSFAM and other special regimes Pillar 0: Universal non-contributory basic pension – Pensión para el Bienestar de las Personas Adultas Mayores (adults 65+; women 60–64 receive transitional half-benefit from 2026 via Pensión Mujeres Bienestar at MXN 3,100 bimonthly); full pension MXN 6,400 bimonthly (2026). Pillar 1: Mandatory funded DC – AFORE individual accounts (SAR) for IMSS-affiliated private-sector workers + Guaranteed Minimum Pension (PMG/Pensión Garantizada) top-up from federal government; ISSSTE equivalent for public-sector workers. Pillar 1.5 (2024 reform): Solidarity Supplement via Fondo de Pensiones para el Bienestar (FPB) – guarantees 100% replacement of last salary up to IMSS average wage cap (MXN 17,364/month in 2025; MXN 17,885.85/month in 2026) for eligible DC pensioners aged 65+. Pillar 2: Voluntary AFORE contributions (ahorro voluntario) – tax-deductible up to MXN 152,000/year or 10% of annual income. It includes 4 schemes in our directory.
How do I get a copy of my Mexico pension record?
Ask IMSS / AforeWeb for your Estado de cuenta AFORE / semanas cotizadas IMSS (the AFORE account statement and IMSS contribution weeks). It's free and you can request it yourself — our step-by-step guide on this page walks through the portal, what to have ready, and what to do if the login fails.